


A Kiss in His Pocket

by Chick_With_Horns



Series: Izzy or Isn't She? [3]
Category: U2 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cute Romantic Beginnings, Epic Friendship, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Kissing, Zoo TV Tour (U2)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:27:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22885519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chick_With_Horns/pseuds/Chick_With_Horns
Summary: Chocolate plays an important part in things. Adam's birthday party is a big success, especially for Adam and Isabel. Afterward, some important things are finally said.
Relationships: Adam Clayton/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Izzy or Isn't She? [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1317809
Comments: 20
Kudos: 8





	1. Two Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> Set during Zoo TV. Further adventures of my original characters, Isabel (Izzy) and Emma, featuring other OC members of the Zoo TV crew. 
> 
> This might be a good time to add the disclaimer that I have nothing against Mariana Clayton; this is just me playing around with the timeline. Zoo TV is one of my favorite eras, and these stories are my attempt to make Zoo TV Adam happy. 
> 
> As always, many thanks to my amazing friend iblamethisonSherlock for encouragement, advice, and beta reading. You Da Best!

****

Emma (L) and Isabel (R)

**Excerpt from Isabel Palmer’s tour diary – On the road, 13 March 1992**

Somewhere between Hartford and Worcester. (Connecticut and Massachusetts. Tired, it’ll be amazing if I spelled all those right.) It’s late, after 1 AM. Packed up right after the Hartford show and left. Word on the bus is that today (13 th ) is Adam’s birthday. Should I do something? I think I should… but what? 

\- - - - - -

“So, where are we going next?” The question came from a spot near the middle of the darkened crew bus, and was followed immediately by a yawn.

Izzy closed her journal and stuck it back in her backpack, then pulled out a copy of the tour itinerary and waved it in the direction of the sleepy voice. Someone else took it and passed it over. A flashlight clicked on, revealing a glimpse of one of the roadies.

“Gonna need that back, Jake,” Izzy said, then echoed his yawn.

"Worcester... like the sauce?" the young man asked, saying the word somewhat uncertainly.

“No, that’s woost-a-shir,” Emma replied from the bunk next to Izzy’s. “This is just Wooster. The first part is pronounced ‘wooo,’ like you’re excited.”

“Woooo,” Jake said, then laughed and passed the paper back.

“Must be an exciting city,” Izzy said, giggling. “Woooster, woooo!” 

Emma leaned forward in her bunk, grinning, one hand raised as if imparting a great truth. “I’ll have you know, that is the exact reason they named it that. Fact.” 

“It’s a great name,” somebody else said from a shadowy corner. “Wooo!”

Another voice added, “Wooooster, the city so exciting they named it woooo!”

“Named it what?” someone else asked, pretending not to understand.

“Wooooster,” Emma began, but the name dissolved into laughter. After that it only took a few minutes for ‘wooo’s’ and slightly drunk-sounding giggles to spread to most of the bus, the silliness of the situation affecting everyone in the way things only do when late hours and exhaustion combine.

_ Good thing this is gonna be a short trip, _ the bus driver thought with a sigh.

\- - - - - -

“Oh my god, what time is it?” Izzy yawned, shouldered her backpack and joined the group of half-awake crew members dragging their luggage into the hotel. 

“Too late. Or early. Something,” Emma muttered. Izzy just sighed and nodded agreement.

The hotel lobby was empty at this hour, except for the crew crowding around the desk to get their room assignments. Izzy nudged her friend and nodded at the newspapers-and-snacks kiosk. “Hey, I could use a soda and something sweet… you want anything?”

“Yeah, okay.”

Izzy grabbed a couple of Diet Cokes, then scanned the candy shelves, trying to make a decision. “Chocolate,” she murmured, “that’s what I want…” After a moment her eyes lit on a few bags of Hershey’s Kisses, and she smiled. “There we go, that’s it… I love those.” The clerk bagged her items, and the girls headed for the elevators.

As they walked, Izzy reached into the bag for some chocolate, then stopped and grabbed Emma’s arm. “Em!” she said, grinning. “That’s it! That’s what I can do for Adam’s birthday! I can leave one of these for him, or stick it in his pocket or something.”

“Ooh, you can give him a Kiss,” Emma said. “Perfect! He’ll love it.”

“It doesn’t seem silly, does it?”

“Of course not. It’s flirty, which is what you want. Now come on, I’m dead on my feet.”

\- - - - - -

That afternoon it was business as usual, back to the well-practiced routine. Snatches of songs echoed through the venue, then stopped and were discussed and repeated as the band did their soundcheck. 

In the wardrobe room, Izzy and Emma were finishing their pre-show preparations and going over their notes for that night’s performance with Janice, their supervisor. 

“So, hey,” Janice was saying. “Before I forget, there’s going to be a birthday party for Adam after the show. It’s at a club not too far from here, there’ll be shuttle buses going straight there and, I think, a couple going back to the hotel first for anybody who wants to change clothes.”

Izzy glanced down at her black t-shirt and work pants. “That might be a good idea.”

“Hey, you never know,” Emma joked, “maybe you could make cargo pants the new clubwear thing. All the cool kids will want them.”

“Yeah, unlikely!”

“Okay then,” Janice said, smiling. “Back to the show. It’s looking good. All that’s left is to make sure the guys’ stage outfits are ready to go. I’m going to go check whether Bono has everything he needs waiting for him, if you two can take care of the others?”

“Sure thing.” Emma nodded and put her notebook aside as Janice left. Then she turned to Izzy. “Cool, now’s the perfect time for you to go leave the chocolate Kiss in Adam’s pocket!” 

Izzy frowned a little. “Ooh, yeah, I suppose I had better, huh?”

“You’re not going to chicken out now, are you?”

“No… just feeling kinda nervous, is all.” Izzy twisted the ends of the dark red scarf that was knotted around her neck. 

“You’re nervous about being flirty with a guy? You haven’t been like that since college.”

“I’m nervous about being flirty with  _ this _ guy. He’s famous. I’ve never flirted with anybody famous before.”

Emma rolled her eyes, pulled a blank page out of the little notebook, and pushed it across the counter to her friend. “It’ll be fine! He likes you. Now here, you should put a note with it.”

Izzy grabbed a pen, thought for a moment, and wrote, ‘Happy Birthday!’ then drew a big smiley face, and signed her name. “How’s that?”

“Living dangerously, huh?” Emma teased. She reached into the bag of chocolate sitting on the table. “It’s fine. It’s cute. Here’s a Kiss, now go to it.” She smiled encouragingly and gave Izzy a little push towards the door. 

Izzy grinned and headed for the dressing rooms. Adam’s door was half open; she peeked in to make sure the room was unoccupied, then went in. His clothes were neatly hung up, as usual, with hair products and other personal items scattered on the dressing table. Izzy took a quick look around to make sure everything was in order for the show later. Adam’s dark flower print velvet suit (his current favorite stage outfit) was hung on the rack where she’d left it earlier that afternoon. She tucked the chocolate Kiss and the note into the jacket pocket. Stepping back, she noted with satisfaction that just the corner of the note was visible. She turned with an excited little bounce and headed back to the wardrobe room.

Emma wasn’t there, but she got back not long after Izzy did. “I double checked the other rooms, Larry and Edge’s things are ready,” she said. “How did it go?” 

“Fine, I put it in his jacket pocket. Just a bit of the note is showing.” Izzy grinned, anticipating. “He’ll love it, right? Who doesn’t love chocolate?”

“Of course he will. And he’ll be thinking about you all night.” 

“Or at least as long as the chocolate lasts.” She shook a few Kisses out of the bag.

Emma unwrapped one and popped it in her mouth. “That’s the spirit,” she laughed. “I’m gonna get some coffee, you want some?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Later that afternoon, after soundcheck, the band came backstage to relax and get ready for the show. The girls could hear snatches of muted conversation and laughter drifting in from the main area as the guys wandered back and forth from their dressing rooms to the catering tables. Bono’s enthusiastic voice was easiest to pick out; Adam’s boyish laugh was a less frequent sound, but Izzy smiled every time she heard it.

Between routine chores and a couple of minor repairs for other crew members, the rest of the afternoon passed quickly. Janice stopped by again, looking preoccupied, her own notebook in hand. “About fifteen minutes till showtime,” she said, and then was off again.

The noise and activity backstage were increasing, everyone hurrying to their places. Izzy checked her watch, confirming. “Great, we’re all ready.”

Emma was staring out the door. “Um, I’m just gonna go and... ask Janice something, I’ll be right back.” With a quick wave at someone nearby, she was gone.

“Wait, what…” Izzy started, but she didn’t finish. As Emma left the room, Adam came in. His smile made Izzy’s stomach feel jumpy, in a pleasant way.

“Hey, hi,” he said. “I wanted to catch you before the show. Thanks for the Kiss.” He reached into the pocket of his jacket and brought out a little piece of silver foil. “It was very tasty.” He leaned against the door frame, watching her as if he thought she were equally tasty.

Izzy smiled back, feeling ridiculously self-conscious. “You’re welcome… glad you liked it.”  _ Stay calm. Say something else, _ she thought. She picked up the bag of candy and held it out. “Do you want another one?”

“Yeah, I do,” Adam said. 

Before Izzy could say another word, he leaned close and kissed her. His lips lingered on hers for a moment, pressing gently, teasing just a little. She was too stunned to think clearly. The only things that came to her mind were quick sensory impressions: the warmth of his mouth, the woodsy scent of his cologne, the butterflies going wild in her stomach. When he broke away a moment later, all she could manage to say was a soft, slightly surprised, “Oh.”

“And thanks for that one, too,” Adam said. His eyes were as bright as his smile.

Izzy laughed a little, feeling strangely tongue-tied. “Wow...” she said.

Just then the familiar shout started echoing, coming closer: “Five minutes!”

Adam reached into the bag for another chocolate Kiss, then started for the stage, giving Izzy a little wink. “See you later.”

As soon as he was gone, Emma reappeared. She took in Izzy’s dreamy expression and was instantly curious. “So what happened? What did he say?”

“He, um… he kissed me.” Izzy’s grin carried an element of pleased surprise.

“Really? Wow, that’s fantastic! Tell me everything. How was it?”

There was a pause. “...ohmygod, he actually kissed me!”

“So you said,” Emma laughed. “Pretty good, huh?”

“It was really nice. He smells great.” She nodded at the bag of candy. “He said thanks for the Kiss, and I asked him if he wanted another one… and he kissed me.” She blushed a little, and the grin grew wider. 

“Oooh, yes! This is just the beginning.”

“I dunno, I guess we’ll see what happens at the party. I’m sure there’ll be women all over the place.”

Emma shook her head. “Oh, ye of little faith. Maybe so, but how many of them did he already kiss today?”

Izzy smiled and shrugged. “Yeah, true, but one kiss doesn’t prove anything yet.”

“Just give it time, it might.”

“I really hope so. He’s just… wow, you know?”

Emma chuckled. “I know exactly what you mean.”

“Anyway. Come on, we’d better check in with Janice.”

The festive nature of the day was not lost on the crew. The announcement about the party had already made the rounds, and although not everyone was able to go, there was a generally celebratory feeling, greatly boosted by the balloons and the ‘Happy Birthday Adam’ banner attached to the catering tables. 

The usual hushed backstage activity paused halfway through the show when Bono followed Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World with an excited announcement: “Right now I have to throw my arms around Adam Clayton, because today is his birthday!” The crowd cheered, Bono started singing Happy Birthday, and thousands of voices - even a good number of the crew - joined in. 

The exuberant mood continued after the show. The band was laughing and joking as they came offstage, eagerly anticipating the party. Adam was immediately pulled aside for an impromptu toast by several of the tech crew who had to stay and start dismantling things. The others headed for their dressing rooms and the promise of cold drinks and fresh clothes.

Bono paused in the doorway of the wardrobe room, peeled off his sweaty Mirrorball Man jacket, and handed it to Emma. “Thanks, love. You two are coming to the party for our boy, aren’t you?”

“You bet,” Emma said, smiling. 

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Izzy added.

“That’s good,” Bono said, then leaned closer to Izzy and added quietly, “because I do believe he’s looking forward to seeing you there.” His little grin suggested he had an idea of why that might be the case.

Izzy shot Emma a look that managed to convey both  _ ‘fantastic’ _ and  _ ‘yikes.’ _

Once he was gone, Emma nodded at the bag of candy still sitting on the table, and smirked. “Better get those kisses ready.”


	2. Not Quite Private

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Party shenanigans, interruptions, and kissing.

Emma and Izzy had gone back to the hotel after their work at the venue was done. Now Emma (who had already changed clothes) was trying to provide advice as Izzy searched through her suitcase, panicking slightly, looking for… something.

“Ugh. Help me Em, I have no idea what I’m doing. A rock star kissed me and I’m going to his party, what do I wear?”

Emma gave her friend a sympathetic smile. “You’re overthinking it. He already likes you, you don’t have to prove anything. You brought that slightly-off-the-shoulder black thing, right?”

“Yeah…” Izzy located the garment in question and shook it out. 

“So wear that. It’s kinda sexy but not too much, looks classy with the black jeans. Shows off just a bit of skin. He’ll like it. Trust me.”

Izzy pulled the shirt over her head and looked at herself in the mirror, adjusting the shoulders. “How’s it look?” She twisted her hair back into a quick knot. “Toss me that elastic, please. Thanks.”

“Looks great. Just right. Are you ready to go?”

There were vague clattering noises as Izzy rummaged for something in the bathroom. She came out holding a small glass bottle. “One last thing. I had to bring this, just in case.” She opened the bottle and dabbed a little of the scent inside on her throat and behind her ears.

“Never know when you’re gonna need it.” Emma came close to her friend and sniffed. “Ooh, that’s nice. Bringing out the big guns, huh?”

“Yep. Vanilla Musk. My secret weapon.” Izzy grinned and grabbed her wallet and key card from the scattered items on the bed, tucked them into a pocket, and reached for her jacket. “Okay… ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s go grab a cab.” 

\- - - - - -

The girls talked excitedly in the cab, wondering what the club would look like and who else would be there. “Models, I bet,” Izzy said. “Wait and see.” Emma’s only reply was a dismissive noise.

When they arrived, they were briefly dismayed to see a sign on the door stating, ‘Closed for Private Party.’ Another group of late arrivals - a few of whom they knew - waved them over to the entrance. 

A stern-looking man in a dark suit stood at the door holding a clipboard. “Private party tonight, folks. I’m gonna need to check if you’re on the guest list.”

“Um, we’re here for the U2 birthday party,” someone else in the group said hesitantly.

“This is it. Names?”

Emma nudged Izzy. “Holy wow, they rented the entire place,” she murmured.

“I guess our guys don’t do anything halfway.” 

The doorman checked their names against his list and let them in. It was an impressive place; there were groupings of plushy, dark red couches and low tables here and there, lit by chandeliers. Concealed lights painted the textured walls in a variety of colors and reflected off mirrored panels. A buffet had been set up against one wall, complete with club staff to serve food and pour champagne; large glass doors in the opposite wall led outside. Down a short flight of stairs, the adjoining room was a chaotic mix of throbbing music, flashing lights and gyrating dancers, with an extensive bar dominating one end. Hallways in both rooms hinted at smaller private areas. 

At first the girls just stared around them, taking in the scene. A good part of the crowd was tour crew members, some of whom they knew, others they’d seen around backstage. There were other people who they assumed were friends of the band. They spotted Paul McGuinness sitting on one of the couches, talking to Edge; their friends Jeff and Rob from Publicity waved at them from the buffet. And yes, there were a few tall, slender, leggy females wandering around. 

“Told you,” Izzy said, nodding at one. “Models. Follow them and I bet you’ll find Adam. Like moths flying around a porch light.”

Emma chuckled. “Just ignore them… I’m sure none of them have your charmingly sarcastic attitude. And how can he resist that?”

“Aww, you always know just what to say.”

“Come on, you nut. Let’s go find him and say Happy Birthday.”

As they were looking around, Jeff and Rob intercepted them, carrying a couple of plates. Rob nodded hello. “Hey, awesome, you guys made it. Try the chicken wings, they’re really amazing.” 

“Looks good,” Izzy said. “Maybe later… we thought we’d better go say hi to the birthday boy first.”

Jeff put down the chicken bone he was holding. “Oh yeah, good idea. He was at the bar the last time we saw him.”

“Yeah,” Rob added, “they were making a batch of celebratory drinks… one of those big, crazy fruit-and-umbrella things.” He turned his head for a moment so they could see the small paper umbrella stuck in his ponytail. “Pretty sweet, a little crazy, but tasty.” 

_ Sounds like Adam, _ Izzy thought, and grinned. “Cool, thanks. We’re gonna go find him, we’ll catch up with you later.” 

She and Emma made their way through the crowd towards the bar in the next room. The dance floor was a mass of moving bodies; the volume of the music made it hard to talk without shouting. Larry was standing at the bar, laughing about something with the bartender, but Adam wasn’t with him. They scanned the dance floor, squinting into the flashing lights, but didn’t see any sign of him. 

Janice suddenly appeared on the edge of the crowd, dancing with a small group. Emma waved to get her attention, then leaned close and asked, “Have you seen Adam?” Janice’s response was a ‘what?’ hand-to-ear gesture, so she raised her voice to almost a shout and repeated the question.

“Just went back in there a few minutes ago,” Janice shouted back, nodding towards the main room. She gave them a little wave and rejoined the dancers.

Emma pointed in the same direction, raising her eyebrows to ask, shall we go? 

Izzy nodded. Once they were far enough from the music to be able to hear themselves speak at a normal level again, she looked around once more and frowned a little. “Well, he’s got to be around here somewhere.”

“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Emma said. “Maybe he’s in the bathroom or something.”

“Doing what? We’ve been looking around for at least ten minutes.” 

“I don’t know, whatever guys do in bathrooms at clubs, besides the obvious.”

Izzy snickered. “I can think of a few things… smoking something, having some ‘me’ time…”

“Oh my god...” 

“...snuck off with a girl…”

Emma grinned at her friend. “Not yet, he didn’t. Not until he finds you.”

“Oh, please, like I’m the only girl he’d want to sneak off with.”

“Need I remind you of what happened earlier today?” Emma made a comical kissy-face, then broke off with a laugh.

Izzy tried to look serious, but only succeeded in breaking into giggles. “Hey, if he wants to sneak off with me, it’d better not be to a bathroom!”

“Hey, this is a classy place. It might be a really nice bathroom.” Emma grinned and dodged Izzy’s playful little kick.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe we’re even discussing this.”

“How about we just sit and have a drink while we wait for him to turn up again, like the normal, well-behaved ladies that we obviously are?” Emma suggested.

“Yep, that’s us all right. Sounds like a plan. I’ll go grab us some champagne.”

\- - - - - -

Adam and Bono were in a nearby hallway leading from the club’s kitchen, having a drink and taking a break from the crowd. Some of the staff had wanted pictures with the band, so Paul had located them one by one and gathered everyone together in an employee-only area for a few photos. Larry and Edge had gone back to the party soon after, but the other two had stayed for a few minutes more to talk to the excited kitchen staff. Now they stood in the dimly lit, quiet hall, relaxing and talking.

Bono leaned against the wall, took a drink of his beer and regarded his friend with a smile.

“So, any deep and wise thoughts on having added another year?”

“Not really. Just the usual ones about whether I’m doing things right.”

“Things?”

“Life.”

“Hey, you’re doing fine. You’re part of a rather amazing little band that might actually make something of itself one of these days.” 

Adam nodded thoughtfully. “Who knows, we might even play big extravagant stadium shows one day.”

“Well, now you’re just talking crazy.”

The two laughed, clinked their bottles together, and drank. 

“And,” Bono added, “and, there’s a certain young lady who’s rather interested in you.” He reached over to touch the small paper drink umbrella Adam had stuck behind one ear. “This is a charming look, by the way. Stylish yet whimsical. She should love it.”

“She who?” 

“Don’t play innocent, you’ve not-quite-casually mentioned Isabel often enough. And I’ve seen her watching you.” Bono walked to the end of the hall and looked out into the main room, and his smile became a mischievous smirk. “She’s here, by the way. She and Emma seem to be looking around for someone.”

Adam joined him, his eyes scanning the crowd. Watching him, Bono could tell right away when he spotted Izzy; the sudden smile, the sparkle in his eyes that his tinted glasses didn’t quite hide.  _ I like seeing him like this, _ Bono thought.  _ It’s all rather sweet. _

“Well. Shall we go say hello?” Adam asked.

“Yes, I believe we shall. I have an old photo of you I think she’d appreciate, by the way… Paul turned up a few he was going to stick up somewhere, and I borrowed one.” He tapped one pocket of his jacket.

“Wait, what photo? Borrowed for what?” 

“To show to the girl you like, obviously. As any good friend would do.”

“Let me see it first.” 

Adam made a grab for Bono’s jacket, but Bono moved away quickly. “You’ll see it soon enough.” Still grinning like a Cheshire cat, he headed towards the girls. 

Adam sighed and followed… there was no point in arguing when Bono had one of these crazy ideas..

\- - - - - - 

Emma and Izzy sat on one of the plush couches, sipping champagne and sharing a plate of food, now and then pausing to wave at someone or chat with friends. 

Izzy broke off a bit of an eclair and popped it in her mouth. “Mmm, yum. Hey, maybe we don’t need to find Adam… I mean, good food, good music, lots of booze, who needs him.” She took another sip of her drink and laughed at the skeptical look Emma was giving her. 

“Yeah, like you’d really go for that plan.” 

Izzy was trying hard not to laugh. “Hey, it could happen… I mean, sure, he’s a rock star who’s flirting with me, but this...” She picked up the iced pastry and gestured with it, “...this is a first-rate chocolate eclair.” She dissolved into giggles, and that set Emma off.

“True, but is it tastier than he is?”

“Mmm. It might be.” Izzy licked icing off her fingers.

“Oh, hey, speaking of… there he is.” Emma made an effort to compose herself and nodded towards the hallway. “Looks like he and Bono were in the kitchen.”

Izzy turned to look at him. “Ooh, it’s that blue velvet jacket. I love that one.” She put down the rest of the pastry and waved as the two approached. “Hey, guys.” 

“Hey yourself.” Adam said, settling on the couch beside her. “Good to see you two here.” He spoke to both the girls, but his eyes were on Izzy. She looked over at him, opened her mouth to reply, and her gaze met his. He gave her a little wink, and she suddenly forgot what she had meant to say.

Bono sat next to Emma and stretched out comfortably, raising his beer bottle in greeting. “Evening, ladies… enjoying the party?” 

“Yes, thanks!” Emma answered. “This is a great place.”

“Yeah, really impressive.” Izzy agreed. She smiled at Adam. “Happy Birthday, again.” 

“Thanks. It’s been a pretty good one. Can’t think of a better way to finish it off.” 

Bono’s wicked grin appeared again. “How about with this?” He reached into a jacket pocket and pulled out a black-and-white photo. “Paul found a few shots of this young man…” -nodding at Adam- “...when he was even younger. I thought this was an especially good one.” 

“Oh god…” Adam’s expression was halfway between a smile and a grimace.

Bono dropped the photo on the table. It showed a young Adam in a sleeveless shirt, holding a bottle to his chest, looking over one shoulder. Izzy stared, enchanted, taking in the details: his wild hair, his slightly apprehensive expression… plus, he hadn’t been wearing his glasses.  _ Those big soulful eyes… amazing,  _ she thought. 

“Wow…” she said, with a breathless little laugh.

Emma was grinning. “Oh my god, how old were you in this?”

Adam leaned down to look closer at the photo. “Probably twenty or twenty-one… that hair…” He shook his head with a rueful little smile.

_ Yeah, that hair, _ Izzy thought, looking at the younger Adam’s thick, barely-controlled blonde curls.  _ I’d love to get my hands in it.  _ “It’s kind of awesome,” she said.

“I thought so at the time. My younger self thanks you,” Adam said, and they both laughed.

“You said there were more of these?” Emma asked eagerly, turning back to Bono.

“Yeah, a few. Paul was going to put them up someplace. I should go give this one back to him.” He picked up the photo, stuck it back in his pocket, and stood.

“Ooh, can I come with you? I want to see the others. Do you mind, Iz?”

“No, go ahead.” 

The two walked off in the direction of the bar. As soon as they’d gone, Adam chuckled. “That was a convenient exit, wasn’t it?”

Izzy watched them go, then turned back to Adam. “Yeah, it was. That’s Emma for you. Not even trying to be subtle.”

“And of course Bono isn’t known for subtlety.” The two of them laughed again.

“They seemed pretty eager to leave us alone,” Izzy noted with a flustered little smile. 

“Well, as long as they went to the trouble of enacting a plan… why don’t we go find someplace with more privacy where we can talk?” Adam suggested. “There are a few smaller rooms that probably aren’t being used.” 

“Okay, sounds good.” Izzy’s mind jumped ahead to other probable reasons for his wanting privacy, and suddenly the butterflies in her stomach were back, fluttering harder than ever.

“There should be a couple down here, we were looking around earlier.”

Adam led the way down another hallway. A door about halfway along led to a dark, unoccupied room furnished with couches and tables and a few floor lamps. They slipped in, leaving the door just slightly ajar; once inside, the music and the noise from the crowd were muted.

“Away from everyone at last,” Adam said. He switched on one of the lamps, leaving the room dimly lit. “There, just enough light to not trip over anything.”

“Nice,” Izzy said. “Intimately dark, but not dangerously dark.” She dropped onto one of the couches and stretched out a little, trying to look more relaxed than she felt.. 

Adam sat down close beside her, resting one arm on the couch back. “It could be dangerous. I might try something.” He grinned in the boyish way that never failed to make her insides feel warm and jumpy.

“You might, huh? Like what?” She leaned a little closer.

Adam reached for the little drink umbrella that was still behind his ear and stuck it behind hers. “I might start by offering you a silly little trinket, so you’d let your guard down.” His fingers brushed her throat gently as he pulled his hand back.

Izzy felt a little shiver run down her back at his touch. She smiled, feeling suddenly shy. “That would probably work. Then what?”

“I might mention how good you smell. Then I’m pretty sure I’d kiss you again.” He moved closer to her until his leg was touching hers. His arm slid around her shoulder, holding her lightly.

Izzy looked into Adam’s eyes; the expression in them was warm and intense. Her heart was beating faster and a hot, tingly sensation had started deep in her stomach. She was almost too nervous to say what she was thinking, but she knew she’d feel worse if she didn’t. “I’d really like you to,” she said, her voice becoming softer.

“I’m glad. I’ve been thinking about it all night.”

“So have I.” 

Adam leaned in, closing the remaining distance between them, and nuzzled Izzy’s cheek. She sighed and turned towards him, eyes half closed. His other hand moved to her waist and she reached for him, relaxing into his embrace, her fingers idly brushing over the velvety fabric of his sleeve and then moving higher to rest on his chest. Their lips met, gently at first, little teasing brushes, then more slowly and hungrily. Everything around them seemed to fade, until all she was aware of was him… just breath and sighs and warm skin and the fire racing through her, threatening to consume her. The kiss before the show had asked a question; these kisses answered it, leaving no doubt.

Adam pulled away at last, catching his breath, eyes closed, lips close to her ear, and whispered, “Isabel…” 

Izzy smiled and kissed him again. His tongue slid against hers, taking the kiss deeper, and she made a little noise that might have sounded halfway between a sigh and a moan, if either of them had noticed it. 

As it was, preoccupied as they were, they also didn’t notice the sound of two pairs of high heels coming down the hallway. A moment later, two of the tall, leggy females peered through the door. One said excitedly to the other, “Here he is, I told you I saw him come this way!”

Adam and Izzy broke apart and turned to see what was happening. Izzy’s brain felt fuzzy, pulled back to reality too quickly; Adam looked as though he must feel the same. He stood and extended a hand to help her up.

“Uh… who…” he began.

The two young women came into the room, their voices and their steps both a touch unsteady. “Adaaaaam,” one of them said, pouting, “we want to give you birthday kisses too!”

“Yes, give us a turn,” the other added, “pretty please?” 

Izzy backed off a bit as the two came closer, chattering, apparently attempting to look seductive and draw Adam into conversation. The effect was spoiled a bit by their obvious tipsiness. They didn’t seem to notice (or care) that he wasn’t alone, and Izzy was too embarrassed to say anything. She only stayed long enough to hear Adam saying “...not really giving turns…” before slipping out and blending in with the crowd. 

_ Oh my god, _ she thought angrily,  _ why did they have to show up and ruin everything?  _ She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, then scanned the crowd, planning to get a stiff drink and find Emma, in that order. First things first… she headed for the bar.

That was where Emma found her a short time later. “Hey there you, back already?” She tapped Izzy’s shoulder, and when her friend turned, she saw the look on her face and frowned. “Hey, you okay, did something happen?”

Izzy finished her drink and sighed. “Can we go somewhere quieter and talk?”

“Of course… let’s go find a bathroom.”

They decided on the ladies’ room closest to the exit, guessing (correctly) that it would be the least used at the moment. They spent a few minutes checking the hallway and all the stalls to make sure no one was there, then Izzy explained.

“Okay, so… Adam and I went to find an empty room where we could have some privacy… he gave me his little drink umbrella…”

“That’s adorable.”

“Isn’t it? So anyway, we were kissing…”

“I knew it! Fantastic!” 

“Yeah, but then these two drunk women walked in right in the middle of it, I guess they’d been looking for him. They started going on about how they wanted to give him kisses too, and I just felt really embarrassed and I left.”

“Oh no!” Emma gave Izzy a quick hug. “That’s unbelievable, what nerve!” 

“I know, right?”

“Just breaking in on somebody’s private moment, sheesh. But still…” Emma’s smile returned, “...it sounds like things are going great between you two! That makes me so happy. See, I told you he was into you.”

Izzy grinned. “Yeah, I guess so. He’s just so… incredibly...” She broke off, as if unable to find the right words, then lowered her voice and let out an excited little giggle. “My god, Em, he’s a good kisser.”

“Ooh, yeah?” 

“Yeah. Extremely.”

“I saw how he was looking at you. There are definitely sparks there,” Emma said. “That’s why I had to make myself scarce, you know.”

“Yeah, we both kinda knew that was why. We had a good laugh about how you and Bono were totally not being subtle.”

“Did you really?” Emma laughed. “Well, it worked, though, right?”

“Yeah, I have to admit it did… still, I wonder if he got rid of those women, or just gave them the kisses they wanted.”

“Are you kidding? What’s he want with them? He’s probably looking for you.”

“I’d better get back out there so he can find me, then… come on, let’s go get some cake.”

\- - - - - -

They had moved on from cake to discussing the merits of various appetizers when Jeff reappeared, breathless and grinning, from the next room. “Hey, you’re back! You two have to come hit the dance floor,” he said, “there’s a conga line.” He waved at someone in the next room, shouted, ‘Yeah, I’m coming!’ and disappeared again.

“Awesome. Is everybody that drunk already?” Izzy asked, smiling at the mental image. 

“Could be. What do you think? Shall we?” 

Izzy gave a little shrug. “Don’t see why not… he can spot me more easily if I’m in a long line of loud, wild, dancing people. And besides, it isn’t really a party until there’s a conga line.” 

“Very true. Great, let’s go.”

A few minutes later, once they were away from the quiet of the bathroom and halfway through the buffet room, the combined noise of thumping music and excited voices seemed louder than before. They stood in the doorway to the next room watching the dancers, and neither could help smiling at the song that was playing as everyone one-two-three-kicked around the room:

_...And I'm too sexy for your party… Too sexy for your party… No way I'm disco dancing… _

“Wow, great choice,” Izzy said.

“I know, right? Hey, Adam’s sitting at the bar.”

Izzy glanced in his direction, caught his eye, and flashed a little smile. He didn’t leave his place at the bar, but his eyes were on her as she joined the crowd.. 

There was already a long line winding around the dance floor, people yelling and waving and trying to pull everyone else in. Unsurprisingly, Bono was right in the middle of it all. When the line came snaking past them, the girls grabbed onto the end and were instantly lost in a sea of joyful chaos.

After the line had twisted around the dance floor a few more times, picking up more people, the DJ called out, “Okay, all you sexy party people, is everybody having fun?” There was a loud cheer of approval, and he continued. “Okay now, I know some of you may be getting a little tired of this song, but since this is Adam Clayton’s birthday, the conga line isn’t gonna stop until he joins in!”

There was another cheer. Adam laughed and went to stand at the edge of the crowd, just watching everyone beckoning him over. At last he gave in and took his place at the end of the line, to the accompaniment of even louder cheers.

When the conga line finally broke up a few minutes later, the crowd scattered, little groups staying to dance or heading to the bar or the buffet. The girls stood for a moment, catching their breath and laughing about the glorious ridiculousness of the whole episode, before Emma nodded towards the other room.

“That made me thirsty again, let’s go get some more champagne.”

Izzy was watching someone still half hidden in the remaining crowd. “You go ahead, I’ll catch up with you. I believe I need to speak with someone.” Her mysterious little smile gave Emma a pretty good idea of who that someone was.

Emma turned to see where her friend was looking and saw Adam, pausing to exchange hugs or greetings here and there but undeniably moving closer. “Gotcha,” she said. “Good luck.” She gave a quick thumbs-up and joined the group heading back into the main room.

Izzy went to the bar and got a drink, then moved closer to the stairs and leaned against the rail, sipping, doing her best to look casual. A few minutes later, the crowd shifted again, and Adam was standing there, touching her arm lightly.

“Hey, there you are. I wondered where you’d gotten to.”

There was that amazing grin again. Izzy smiled and tried to think of something clever to say. “You win, you found me.”  _ Oh, brilliant, _ she thought.  _ He smiles and my brain turns to mush. _

“I’m gonna go find a quiet place to sit down and have a drink, want to keep me company?”

“Absolutely.”

The party was starting to wind down, so it was easier than they had anticipated to find a couch in a relatively unoccupied corner. Adam took a drink of his beer and leaned a bit closer to Izzy.

“Hey, I’m sorry those women interrupted us earlier. They were totally out of line.”

“It’s okay, I mean, it’s not like you knew it was going to happen.” Izzy was sure she could feel body heat radiating from him. Her mind jumped back to the feel of his lips in that darkened room, and it was all she could do not to move just a bit closer and kiss him again.

“Well, I’ve come to expect that sort of thing once in awhile. I probably should have just locked the door.” Adam’s eyes moved from her flushed cheeks to the soft curve where her neck met her shoulder. He couldn’t stop wondering,  _ how would her skin taste, just there?  _ He leaned in a bit, trying to see if he could catch her scent again… there it was, just a hint of vanilla, and something else.

“They might have just stood there wailing and rattling the doorknob.” Izzy said. “That would be a mood killer.” She giggled at the thought. 

Adam shrugged. “There really wasn’t any ideal way out. I’ve found it best in these situations to just be polite and escape quickly. I gave them each a kiss on the cheek and sent them away again, but by then you’d gone.”

Izzy grimaced. “Yeah… sorry, I was in the bathroom for a little while, calming down.” 

“Ah. Not horribly embarrassed, I hope?”

She flashed a mischievous grin. “Just a little. Mostly angry. I wanted to smack both of those women.”

Adam laughed. “Clearly, that so-called private room wasn’t private enough. We’ll have to do better next time.” 

“Agreed. ‘Next time,’ I like the sound of that.” Izzy’s eyes met his. Her hand on the couch was so close to him…

“I would really like for there to be a next time.” 

Izzy made an effort to look less nervous than she felt. “So would I.”

“We should discuss it.” Adam said, the boyish smile appearing again. “Why don’t we have lunch tomorrow? It’s nice to talk to you when we’re not both preoccupied with the show.”

“That sounds great.” 

“Fantastic, I’ll call you in the morning.” Adam clinked his bottle against Izzy’s glass. “Here’s to next time.”


	3. The Start of Something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast and discussion.

“Mmmph.” Izzy stirred, pushed the hair out of her face and glared at the clock on the nightstand. It was a little after 10:30 a.m. She collapsed back onto the bed and lay there for a few minutes, squinting and willing the sun to stop being so bright, then finally gave in, sat up and looked around blearily. Scanning the room, her gaze drifted over the nightstand again, then settled on the matchbook tossed there, picked up at the club the previous night. Her mind drifted back to the feel of Adam’s kiss... “Wow,” she whispered. With an excited little start, she remembered her plans for the day. She was meeting Adam for lunch. 

She took a quick shower (keeping the bathroom door open in case the phone rang) and pulled on her comfy jeans, then started poking through her suitcase, thinking,  _ What to wear? Something better than a t-shirt… but not too fancy.  _ She finally settled on a favorite dark green sweater, and stuffed her red scarf in her pocket for luck. 

She still hadn’t heard from Adam, so Izzy settled on the couch and started flipping through the TV channels, hoping it would distract her and help calm her nerves. The plan didn’t entirely succeed. 

The phone finally rang just before 11:30 a.m. Izzy ran to answer it, and was greeted by a slightly sleepy-sounding British accent. “Good morning! How are you?”

_ Damn, his voice is sexy. _ “Great, how about you?” she answered. 

“Fantastic, and looking forward to seeing you. Want to meet me in the restaurant in about fifteen minutes?”

Izzy grinned at the phone as if he could see her through it. “Love to, I’ll be there!” 

She checked the mirror one last time and ran her hands through her hair.  _ Okay, good, _ she thought. There was an excited little flutter in her stomach as she locked the door and headed for the elevators, which only increased a short time later as she walked through the lobby and entered the restaurant. 

Adam was there already, sitting near a window, looking casually gorgeous in black pants and a print shirt. He looked up and saw Izzy, and a smile spread across his face that made her feel instantly warm and fuzzy inside. She waved and made her way to his table, and he stood and pulled out a chair for her. 

“Oh, thanks!” Izzy said. She looked around, taking in the warm colors and homey style of the decor. “This is really nice.”  _ And so are you, _ she added silently.

“It is,” Adam said. “It’s a nice change from room service.” He handed her a menu. “So what do you think? Breakfast or lunch?”

Izzy did her best to pull her thoughts away from the man watching her across the table and turn them to food.  _ Focus, _ she thought.  _ Focus on ordering, not on how good he looks.  _ “I think I’m in more of a breakfasty mood,” she said. “Say, pancakes and bacon.”

“A fine choice,” Adam said. “I’m thinking, maybe a little of each.” He looked over the menu again, finally deciding on steak and eggs. 

The waitress took their order and brought more coffee. Izzy set her mug down, added a little more cream, then picked it up again so that she would have something to do with her hands that didn’t look fidgety. “So,” she began, smiling a little, “Have you recovered from the festivities last night?”

“Pretty much.” Adam said. “It was a great party, the club staff did an amazing job.”

“They really did. It was a lot of fun. Fantastic place.” 

Adam leaned a little closer and spoke quietly, watching her with a smile that was echoed in his eyes. “The best part of the night was kissing you in that dark room.” 

Izzy blushed but couldn’t stop grinning. “Yeah… yeah, it was.”

“Next time we’ll have to find a place without any random people who might wander in.”

“So, I guess backstage is completely out?” Izzy said, and they both laughed.

“Not necessarily… most venues have lots of those empty little cement-wall utility rooms, scattered along shadowy hallways.”

“And if that isn’t atmosphere, I don’t know what is.” 

“Exactly. And what makes you think of kissing more than bare cement and questionable lighting?”

“Ooh, I know!” Izzy said. “Laundry room. All of the above, plus noisy machinery.”

“Or shower facilities… all of the above plus wet floors and a dank smell.”

They managed to stop giggling for a moment when the waitress brought their food. Izzy reached for the syrup and poured it liberally on her pancakes. “Or, you know, there’s closets. Kinda cramped, though.” 

“My dressing room is probably still the best option.” Adam took a bite of his steak and chewed thoughtfully. “Just close the door and take a moment for a quick kiss whenever the opportunity presents itself.”

“Sounds great, unless someone knocks.” 

“Well, if they do, I’ll just say, ‘I’m naked!’ and they’ll give me five more minutes.” 

Izzy’s sudden laugh almost made her choke on her coffee. “I don’t think Emma would be fooled. Especially if it was, like, ten minutes before showtime.”

“Good point. I doubt Bono would be, either. He claims he saw this coming.”

“He did, huh?” She smiled around a bite of pancake.

“Well, to be fair, I guess I was being pretty obvious. I’ve been telling him about the pretty new wardrobe assistant, how she seems like a really fun girl. He finally told me I should stop talking and do something about it.” 

“I’m glad you did. I sure wasn’t doing very well on my own with being flirty.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Adam said. “Somehow it took me a little while to realize that might be what you were doing.” The slight embarrassment in his grin managed to make it even more charming.

“If it makes you feel better, you’re not the only clueless one,” Izzy said. “Emma’s been telling me for awhile that I should just go talk to you, and I kept putting it off.”

“You did? Why’s that?”

“Oh, it’ll sound stupid now.”

“Not to me, I wasn’t doing much better.”

Izzy looked away for a moment and gave a little shrug. “Well, it’s just, you know… you’re a rock star. I’ve never flirted with a rock star before.” She could feel her cheeks turning pink. “See, I told you it was stupid.” 

Adam reached across the table, took her hand, and gave it a squeeze. “I think you did fine. Rock stars can be just as oblivious as other guys. As I’m sure you noticed.” 

The two shared a little laugh as Izzy silently marveled at the feel of his fingers in hers… warm and strong and slightly calloused. “So,” she asked at last, “What now?” She felt a little silly asking the question, but it needed to be asked.

“I’d like to spend some time with you when we aren’t both working.” Adam’s expression was equally warm. He didn’t let go of her hand.

Izzy’s heart started doing happy little jumps. “I’d really like that,” she said. Two excited thoughts were racing through her mind simultaneously:  _ Is this the start of something? _ And,  _ I have so much to tell Emma... _


End file.
